Isolation and Characterization of A Thiodiglycol-Degrading Cupravidus sp.

A Gram-negative bacterium capable of degrading thiodiglycol (TDG), main hydrolysis product of sulfur mustard, was isolated from ginseng field in enrichment medium supplemented with TDG as carbon source. The isolate, WS-32, grew optimally at and pH 6.0-8.0. It was found to be similar to the genus Cupriavi연 on the basis of 165 rRNA sequence, while its biochemical properties were highly homologous to Alcaligenes faecalis. The cell growth of WS-32 strain was slightly inhibited on LB broth by TDG, but the maximum level of its growth was maintained stably in the presence of TDG. After incubation of inoculated LB medium or uninoculated LB medium containing TDG for 2 days, TDG amount of the culture filtrate was analyzed to decrease noticeably by HPLC. TDG and alcohols were also oxidized by cell-free extract of the isolate with maximum activities at pH 8.0 and .